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On generation of collimated high-power gamma beams

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2006

W.T. CHYLA
W.T. CHYLA
Affiliation:
Applied Science Enterprise, Warszawa, Poland
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Abstract

We consider spontaneous thermalization of free photon field (in a vacuum) due to self-interaction, mediated by the virtual e−e+ field at ultra-high concentrations of the electromagnetic energy. That nonlinear, attractive, short-range interaction between photons triggers spontaneous evolution of the initial, low-frequency spectrum toward the maximum-entropy spectral distribution peaking in the gamma range of frequencies. Collimation and the total power of the photon beam (pulse) are hardly affected by the process of spontaneous thermalization. We estimate the threshold intensity that triggers spectral evolution of the photon field, the necessary power of the laser beam, the minimum size of the interaction region, parameters of the fully thermalized photon field, and discuss the near-threshold behavior of the electromagnetic field. Possible applications of thermalized photon beams are suggested, for example, they can serve as the pump field to attain gamma-lasing or facilitate ignition in the fusion pellet.

Keywords

Aging of photonsCollimated gamma-beamFrequency up-conversionPump field for gamma-lasersSelf-interaction of the photon field

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Type
Research Article
Information
Laser and Particle Beams , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , March 2006 , pp. 143 - 156
Copyright
© 2006 Cambridge University Press

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